FBNYC: Pan-Asian American Basketball

(2) Game of Deatheaters vs. (6) B League At Best | Thursday (8/25) 8:00pm @ MLK HS

KEY PLAYERS


G. James 19.5 ppg 4.0 rpg 2.0 apg 2.0 spg 0.5 bpg	J.Coleman 23.0 ppg 2.0 rpg 1.0 apg 5.0 spg 4.0 bpg

SCOUTING REPORT: You could not have scripted a better championship game than this. Before the 2K11 SUM season, the respective captains of our two finalists who happen to be long-time friends, (C) Len Kamdang (GOD) and (G) Andrew Hara (BLB), had already begun a war of words. Kamdang had pegged Hara's BLB team as no better than B League competition, which is how B League At Best's franchise tag was coined. They have come along way since then.

There are parallels between B League At Best and last summer's Game of Deatheaters, known then as Audacity of Dope. Both were on the low side of the playoff seeding and both made improbable post-season runs in a series of upsets over heavily favored opponents. But, AOD fell short in the finals to a powerhouse NYC Fury team. The Deatheaters are now that powerhouse team but there's a bigger chip to be reconciled here. This is a genuine grudge match, this is going to be one to remember. -- FBNYC

GOD Scouting Report: They are led by (G) Garrett James, a shoe-in now for the season MVP. He is their focal point, thriving on turning TOs into easy points. GOD also has (G) Kash Miah, one of the league's premier sharpshooters, always a threat on offensive. On D, they are anchored by (C) Brian O'Neill's size and (F) Lamar Smith's attitude and killer instinct. The supporting cast is built on that approach with (G) Drew Chen's D and breakdown ability while Kamdang and (F) Jeremy Bell provide plenty of beef. (F) Dave Liu also gives a more mobile look at the (F) position.

BLB Scouting Report: The Besties have a similar approach, they grind it out. BLB is a physical team led offensively by shooter (G) Karl Gusner and athletic (F) Pascal Dabel. Rumor has it, however, that Gusner is out. They do, however, have a not-so-secret weapon in HS senior (G) Josh Coleman off the bench. The young spark plug is like lightning in a bottle and, as he displayed in last week's upset win over top seed MNK, he can take over games when they need it most. (G) Dennis Blanchette and (C) Tracy Wright, a machine on the glass, are both very capable of filling in for Gusner offensively. They have won without him before and may have to do it again.

Game of Deatheaters	GR	GR	B League At Best	Advantage
(G) Garrett James 5-11, 185 lbs Stanford University	A+	B+	(G) D. Blanchette 5-9, 165 lbs	He's been quiet and deadly all season, he is Batman. Blanchette has been solid all summer and can score if needed.
(G) Kash Miah 5-10, 165 lbs	B+	A	(G) Karl Gusner 6-1, 185 lbs	What you get from Miah is what you got from Gusner except that the latter was often the floor leader as well. BLB will have big shoes to fill but is capable.
(F) Lamar Smith 6-2, 205 lbs NC Central	A-	B-	(F) Paul Joudrey 6-3, 185 lbs	Smith will get it done on D and he can score in big games as well. He is the will of this team. Joudrey is a hustle player that can make plays if called upon.
(F) Jeremy Bell 6-5, 225 lbs	B	A-	(F) Pascal Dabel 6-3, 215 lbs	The rookie Bell is a bruiser that will do what it takes to win. Dabel is an athletic and versatile forward that can also dish it out, by that we mean physical play.
(C) Brian O'Neill 6-6, 225 lbs	A	B+	(C) Tracy Wright 6-4, 225 lbs	O'Neill is the benchmark of defense at the (C) position this season. Wright is a tireless rebounder but has struggled to finish against bigger (C)s like O'Neill.
BENCH (G) Jon Scheiman (G) Drew Chen (F) Len Kamdang (F) Dave Liu	B+	B	BENCH (G) Josh Coleman (G) Andrew Hara (F) Byron Goldstein (C) Kanen (?)	GOD (G) Jon Scheiman should not be forgotten because once you do that, he will hurt you. The GOD bench is now very solid. Coleman will carry the BLB bench but they have plenty of contributors.